Wuhan, China.
Relatives of those killed by the coronavirus in Wuhan said on Wednesday that Chinese authorities have eliminated your group on social media and are pressuring them to remain silent while a World Health Organization team is in town to investigate the origins of the pandemic.
Dozens of relatives have joined the internet to order responsibilities to the Wuhan authorities, Whom they blame for the mismanagement of the outbreak that ravaged the city a year ago.
Their efforts have so far been thwarted by official obstruction, surveillance of social media groups and intimidation, relatives say.
But pressure has intensified in recent days, apparently to silence any criticism during the delicate investigation of the World Health Organization (WHO).
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A group on the social network WeChat, used by between 80 and 100 relatives over the past year, was abruptly removed and without any explanation about ten days ago, said Zhang Hai, a member of the group and very critical of the management of the sprout.
“This shows that [las autoridades chinas] they are very nervous. They are afraid that these families will contact WHO experts, “said Zhang, 51, whose father died at the beginning of the pandemic on suspicion of covid-19.
“When the WHO arrived in Wuhan [las autoridades] they threw to the ground by force [el grupo]. As a result, we have lost contact with many members, “Zhang added.
Other relatives confirmed the removal of the group. WeChat is operated by Chinese digital giant Tencent. In China, the most popular platforms usually remove content that the government considers reprehensible.
“The same song as always”
Relatives accuse the Wuhan and Hubei provincial governments of allowing covid-19 to go out of control, first to try to hide the outbreak when it first arose in the city in December 2019, and then not to alert the public.
According to official Chinese figures, covid-19 killed nearly 3,900 people in Wuhan, the vast majority of the 4,636 deaths recorded in China.
many relatives distrust these figures for lack of pot in the first days of the outbreak. To date, covid-19 has killed more than two million people worldwide.
Although China has widely controlled the pandemic on its territory, it has also thwarted independent attempts to trace its origins. He further hinted, without evidence, that it arose elsewhere.
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A team of WHO experts was finally able to enter Wuhan two weeks ago. His closely monitored investigation into the origin of the virus will begin on Thursday, under strict security measures.
Another relative, a retired woman who claims her daughter died of viruses in January, told AFP that authorities summoned her last week and warned her not to “talk to the media” communication or be used by others “.
On Tuesday, authorities knocked on his door with “the same song as always,” he explains. “They gave me 5,000 yuan [775 dólares] as ‘payment for condolence’, ”he adds, unwilling to identify himself.
The Communist Party government hides any issue that gives a bad image of its government and the early days of viruses remain a very delicate issue. Several relatives in Wuhan tried to file lawsuits to claim compensation and convict officials, but say the courts have refused to accept them.
The Wuhan government has not responded to AFP’s questions about families and their demands. Zhang asked WHO experts to meet “bravely” with relatives although he acknowledges that such a meeting is very unlikely.